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cody sharrett

In a battle between the last two AFC Asian Cup Champions, Japan topped Iraq, 1-0, Friday morning in Brisbane courtesy of a Keisuke Honda penalty. Crew SC's Justin Meram saw 35 minutes of action, coming on for Younis Mahmoud.

Japan remains at the top of Group D with six points, while Iraq and Jordan are tied on three points each. Jordan sits in second place by virtue of a +3 goal differential. Iraq plays Palestine on Tuesday at 4:00 a.m. ET in Canberra to cap-off play in Group D.

The U.S. earned its first win in three matches at the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Jamaica as the Americans topped Aruba, 8-0, with Crew SC's Romain Gall leading the way and netting a hat trick.

Gall's first of the evening came when the LA Galaxy's Bradford Jamieson IV cut the ball back to the Crew SC man near the penalty spot. Gall ripped his shot near post, putting the USA up 1-0 in the 16th minute. It wouldn't take long for the Paris-born Gall to earn his second of the match as defender Tyler Turner was taken down in the area in the 23rd minute, which led to Gall's stutter-step penalty to make it 3-0. Gall capped-off his hat trick in the 32nd minute when Fulham FC's Emerson Hyndman slotted his pass to a streaking Gall. The winger rounded Aruba's charging 'keeper and fired far post to push the Americans' lead to 6-0 heading into halftime. Ben Spencer, Tommy Thompson, Amando Moreno, Hyndman and Jamieson IV each added goals in the 8-0 USA victory.

The U.S. U-20 MNT continues play against host Jamaica on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 2.

Crew SC midfielder Justin Meram and Iraq kickstarted their AFC Asian Cup campaign with a 1-0 victory over Jordan early Monday morning in Brisbane, Aurstralia. The winger subbed-on for the Lions of Mesopotamia at the 57-minute mark to help the Iraqi attack as Swindon Town midfielder Yaser Kasim would find the winner 22 minutes later.

Iraq sits in second place in Group D with three points, behind Japan on goal differential. The Lions of Mesopotamia square-off with the Samurai Blue Friday at 4:00 a.m. ET in Brisbane.

Crew SC midfielder Romain Gall was rested in the United States' 1-0 loss to Panama at the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Jamaica on Sunday. The U.S. returns to action on Wednesday against Aruba in Kingston.

Crew SC's Romain Gall started in an attacking midfielder role for the United States as the U-20 MNT drew Guatemala 1-1 in its CONCACAF U-20 Championship-opening match in Jamaica on Friday. Gall played 85 minutes, picking up a yellow card in the action.